Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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179. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport for an update on the legislative programme within his Department. [7839/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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My Department has a number of pieces of legislation detailed under the Government’s Legislation Programme for Spring 2024, which was published in January 2024 and is available on the gov.ie website: www.gov.ie/en/publication/edb3c-government-legislation-programme-2024/

Three Bills are included as priority for publication/drafting. A brief update on each Bill is provided below.

Road Traffic Bill

The Road Traffic Bill allows for reforms to the penalty points regime, reduces certain default speed limits, and makes testing for drugs mandatory following serious road traffic collisions.

This Bill was published on 25 January 2024, and passed second stage in Dáil Éireann on 13 February 2024. It is currently expected to be taken at committee stage on 28 February 2024.

Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Accidents) Bill

The Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Accidents) Bill allows for the establishment of a full-time Marine Accident Investigation Unit in the Department of Transport (similar to the Air Accident Investigation Unit and Railway Accident Investigation Unit) and the eventual dissolution of the Marine Casualty Investigation Board. It also provides for powers to make regulations for offshore service vessels and the carriage of industrial personnel.

The Bill is included on the list for priority publication in the Spring Programme 2024 and is with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to the Government (OPC) for drafting.

Railway Safety (Amendment) Bill

The Railway Safety (Amendment) Bill will amend the statutory limits for concentration of alcohol in blood, urine and breath for a railway safety critical worker, and update procedures for sampling and testing of workers for intoxicants and associated procedures under the Railway Safety Act 2005. In addition, there are proposals for some updates to other provisions in the Act including some relating to functions of the Commission for Railway Regulation and an amendment of the Public Transport Regulation Act 2009.

The Bill is included on the list for priority drafting in the Spring Programme 2024 and a General Scheme of the Bill is with the OPC for drafting.